Autonomous vehicles use various computing systems to aid in the transport of passengers from one location to another. Some autonomous vehicles may require some initial input or continuous input from an operator, such as a pilot, driver, or passenger. Other systems, for example autopilot systems, may be used only when the system has been engaged, which permits the operator to switch from a manual driving mode (where the operator exercises a high degree of control over the movement of the vehicle) to an autonomous driving mode (where the vehicle essentially drives itself) to modes that lie somewhere in between.
When operating in the autonomous mode, these vehicles may rely heavily on pre-stored map data. Because of this, constructions zones may present significant challenges to autonomous vehicles. In particular, these areas may potentially change quickly, causing prior map data of the areas to be inaccurate or obsolete. Thus, detecting construction zones is not only important, but also deciding how the vehicle should maneuver through these zones is important. Typically, upon identifying or coming upon a construction zone, an autonomous vehicle may automatically transfer control of the vehicle to the driver in order to ensure the safety of the driver and any other passengers. However, this may be frustrating to the driver where the construction zone would not actually present a driving challenge to the autonomous vehicle such as on highways with long term construction projects.